Becoming Sweethearts [✓]

Part Twenty Eight

A worried-sick Omkara parked his bike in the parking area of the mansion and ran two steps at a time. It was barely morning, and he had received a call a few minutes earlier from Shivaay to come to the Oberoi Mansion ‘as soon as possible’. Omkara found a restless Shivaay pacing the hall the moment he entered the living room. To find Shivaay, who usually never dressed in anything other than his impeccable three-piece suit outside his bedroom, but was presently pacing the hall in his night suit was a worrying sight in itself; the man looked like he had aged overnight.

“O!” Rudra announced as Omkara walked in, making Shivaay look up at him. “What’s wrong?” he asked, and Shivaay heaved a sigh. “Daadi has been complaining of mild chest pains and is stubborn she doesn’t want to go to the hospital. We’ve called the doctor home; everyone else is with outside her room.” Saying this, he walked to be with the rest of them, while Omkara and Rudra, after exchanging glances and a nod, followed him.

“Mom,” Omkara said as soon as he saw his mother, who opened her arms wide to hug him. Touching Pinky’s feet, who blessed him while worry was still evident on her face for the older woman’s health, Omkara hugged his Chote Papa too. “What did the doctor say?” Omkara asked softly, to which Shakthi shook his head saying, “She hasn’t informed us yet.” Just then the doctor walked out of the room, with a nurse behind her, saying in a sombre tone, “I think it’s better to shift her to the hospital. It seems like a heart attack,” The entire family collectively gasped. “We will be required to keep her under observation. I suggest we move her immediately. I’ve already called for the ambulance and it is on the way.”

Shivaay, Omkara, and Rudra walked inside the room to see their grandmother sleeping on the bed. Trying not to wake her up, they gently carried her outside her room to take her to the ambulance that was waiting outside. As they rested her on the bed, Kalyani opened her eyes; she looked frailer than she’d ever been. “Om, tu aa gaya!” she exclaimed in a whisper that he wouldn’t have heard if he wasn’t next to her head. “Main yahin hoon, Daadi. Don’t worry, you’re going to be fine,” Omkara said with worry evident in his voice, as he softly brushed her hair with his fingers.

“One member needs to come in the ambulance with the patient,” the ambulance driver informed them. Turning to his brothers, Omkara said, “You two bring the family in the car. I’ll go with her in the ambulance.” Shivaay and Rudra looked at him, and then glancing at each other, they nodded, not wanting to waste time in arguing. The driver of the ambulance closed the door and sat in his seat to start the vehicle.

“Pata nahi ke main wapis ghar lautungi ya nahi,” Kalyani spoke with a heavy voice. Omkara chided her, “Daadi, aise kaise nahi lautengi aap. I told you, right? You’re going to be perfectly fine and are going to come back hale and hearty.” She managed to give him a weak smile at that and held her hand out to reach for his. Omkara immediately obliged and held her tiny, frail hand in his, and kissed the back of her hand. “Kitne adhure armaan the mere,” Kalyani spoke, looking at the ceiling of the van. Omkara shook his head, “Daadi, please don’t strain yourself. You’re exerting too much pressure when you talk- ”

“Chup kar, khotheya,” she frowned, speaking in an exhausted breathless tone, “ab marrtha hua insaan apne akhri shabh bhi na bole?” Omkara clicked his tongue and frowned back at her, “Aap aisi baatein karengi toh aapko tokunga hi na? Speak something positive, that you’re going to get better; or say some prayers in your mind, at least. Aap baar baar marrne ki hi baat kyun kar rahi hain?”

“Umar ho gayi na, Om. Abhi toh sirf marrne ki baatein hi dimaag mein aati hain.” He shook his head, asking her to stop talking, and rubbed her fingers gently, warming them up a bit. She smiled at him, and his heart bled to see the iron lady of his family in such a vulnerable state. She spoke, “Kitne armaan the mere… Main Shivaay aur Annika ke bachche ko godh mein leke uske saath kheloon, tujhe shaadi karthe dekhoon, Rudra ko zimmedaar banke office jaate dekhoon… sab kuch adhure hi rehne waale hain…” Omkara just let the woman speak as she said, “Oopar jaake main tumhare Daadaji se kya kahungi?”